Meeting Your Lover's Daughter
by lara-surreality
Summary: The title says a lot already. Zechs has his first encounter with Mariemeia.


Meeting Your Lover's Daughter

by Lara  
January 2002

**Do not archive, translate or otherwise use this fic without permission.** You are welcome to link to this page.

This is a work of amateur fiction and does not intend to infringe on the rights of Sunrise, Sotsu Agency, Asahi TV, and Bandai Visuals. No profit is being made.

The story is set in 197, about twenty hours after the ending of New Beginnings. It can be read on its own without any real problems.

Warnings? 13x6, though I do have problems with putting up a warning that is only required because the two people in this relationship are male. If this were m/f, everybody would happily go ahead without any warnings. But let's not get into this right now.

* * *

With a soft sigh of contentment Zechs drew the blanket a little higher and curled up on his side, refusing to really wake up yet. The soft sheets and the warmth were just too comfortable to leave the bed. And it would also mean putting a definite end to last night, and since it had been the best night Zechs had had for almost two years, he was reluctant to let it officially be over.

The only thing that could really have improved his current situation would have been to have Treize at his side still. But his lover had woken far earlier, and Zechs had a fuzzy memory of being told that there were some things that needed Treize's attention, and that he'd rather deal with them while Zechs was asleep so no time would be wasted. Zechs had murmured an agreement and had returned to his dreams, which had been pleasant for once. It did not surprise him, though, since he had never had a nightmare when resting in Treize's embrace. Even now Zechs still could feel the sensation of his lover's arms around him, could smell the slightest trace of Treize's scent. Two nights ago all this had seemed lost beyond all eternity, but now it was all so real again that it made Zechs' head spin wildly when he thought about it.

There still were a few unresolved issues between him and Treize; impossible to solve it all in the short time that they had spent together since they had met again. But so far everything was running smoothly, and for Zechs last night was a definite sign that they were returning to where they had been before the war had turned everything upside down.

A knock at the door interfered with his thoughts, and Zechs buried his face in the pillow in the hopes that whoever wanted something of him had picked the wrong door. The only person he really wished to see right now was Treize, and he would never knock at the door of his own bedroom.

If only they'd let him sleep... Zechs distinctly remembered that Sally had told him he needed to rest after the last mission that had gone so wrong. Besides, he was still feeling the absolute bonelessness of exhaustion that came with making love.

Another knocking, more insistent this time, and Zechs wearily raised his head. Apparently whoever was out there had no intention to give up.

"Yes?" he asked, then cleared his throat and repeated it more loudly. "Yes, you can come in."

Zechs was not quite sure whom he had been expecting. Dimitry maybe, or even Treize. He definitely had not been expecting Mariemeia.

At a sudden he was feeling wide awake as he saw the small girl come into the room. Just what was he supposed to say to her? He hadn't ever wondered just how he was expected to react to meeting Treize's daughter in such private circumstances... He had not even really made up his mind on how he felt about Mariemeia. After all she was the one single proof that Treize had been having lovers other than him. And while Zechs knew that Treize's relationship with Leia Barton had ceased to exist long before Zechs and Treize had gotten involved, it still was not a pleasant thought.

Facing Mariemeia's troops as enemies in the second Eve War had not helped either to make Zechs think of her in a more positive way. But when he looked at her now, it was difficult to see any danger or reason to be jealous in this little girl with her wide blue eyes and her red hair. No uniform, but instead a simple shirt and jeans with grass stains on the knees. Zechs suddenly found it hard to imagine that she had been the leading figure of an army not so long ago.

Mariemeia did not seem to be flustered by his scrutiny, but she probably was used to having people stare at her. Poor girl, Zechs thought as he concentrated on softening his gaze a little. With the role she had played, and the family name she was carrying, she probably was constantly facing a lot of attention that certainly was not entirely friendly.

"Breakfast is ready."

It took Zechs a moment until the words registered. "Ah... thank you..." he murmured, sitting up on the bed carefully, quite acutely aware that his pajamas were either on the floor or somewhere beneath the blankets, because he definitely was not wearing them.

She tilted her head to the side as she watched him. "My name is Mariemeia Khushrenada."

Zechs' mind prompted him to reply to this. "Zechs Merquise," he introduced himself, not quite sure why he picked that name. Maybe because the other one was reserved for Treize to use.

Narrow eyebrows rose in a gesture that strongly reminded him of her father. "Dorothy calls you Milliard when she talks about you," the girl stated, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Dorothy talks about me?" Zechs was aware that Mariemeia was expecting him to explain the name issue, but he first wanted to be sure just what Dorothy had been telling the younger girl. She had been witness to his darkest moment; what if she had told Mariemeia about that?

Mariemeia nodded firmly. "She has told me a lot of things about you yesterday. But she has never mentioned you before."

He couldn't help feeling surprised at this. So Dorothy had been avoiding any talk about him? There were so many possible reasons for that...

"So why does Dorothy not know your name? I didn't think she would confuse something like that."

For a moment Zechs closed his eyes, trying to think of a suitable way to explain the circumstances of his two names to a seven-year-old. He had no doubts that Mariemeia was an intelligent girl, but still it seemed a little much to tell her that first it had been necessary to call himself Zechs, and that it later had turned into the only way to keep the pacifist inside himself alive.

"I have two names," he said eventually, fervently hoping that Treize would come and rescue him from this. "It is a long story... you can call me Zechs, or Milliard. Whatever you prefer."

"Milliard is nicer," Mariemeia stated decisively, and Zechs couldn't help a smile crossing his face. Like father, like daughter... "You are Relena's brother, are you not?" she asked, stepping a little closer to study him.

Zechs nodded, remembering that Relena had mentioned something about getting to know Mariemeia the last time he had spoken to her. At that time it had puzzled him that his sister would want to become acquainted, or even friends, with Treize's daughter, but now that he saw Mariemeia it was making sense. There was not anything menacing about her, she was just a little girl. And Relena could probably relate to her in quite a few ways.

"If she is your sister, then why are you here and not in Sank with her? She always says that she misses you." Deep blue eyes that reminded him so much of Treize's were watching him, and Zechs didn't quite believe the apparent innocence of this remark. Mariemeia might be a child, but she certainly was intelligent enough to choose her words well.

Treize, please...

He couldn't possibly explain to her that he had always disappointed Relena, that he had never managed to be there for her. That burdening her with his presence now would be unfair. And, most importantly, Zechs did not think that he could tell the young girl that the main reason for him to be in Kiev was her father. Not without talking to Treize about that first, and who could know what he wanted Mariemeia to believe...

With a small sigh, Zechs eventually shook his head. "I would be in her way right now," he said, the relaxed mood with which he had woken slowly fading. Relena was quite often asking him when he would come to stay in Sank for more than one or two days at a time. But he simply did not feel like he belonged there any more. His home had not been there for a long time... maybe too long. And it was disappointing Relena that she could not make him stay, no matter how hard she tried. He was disappointing her once more...

"Why are you not saying anything?" Mariemeia's question interrupted his thoughts. "Are you going to sleep more? But breakfast is ready..."

Zechs forced himself to smile. "Just go ahead. I will be there in a few minutes... I know the way."

For a moment Mariemeia looked doubtful, but then she nodded. "Alright," she said, turning towards the door. Zechs breathed a small sigh of relief; this had gone better than he had thought, but it had been very clearly written on her small face that she had more questions that she wanted to ask. And Zechs did not think that he was ready to address those issues yet, in particular anything connected to the second Eve War. He needed to speak to Treize about this, make sure what Mariemeia knew about those topics and what Treize wanted her to know. It would not do to unsettle her with this...

But those thoughts would have to wait. Right now Zechs was feeling hungry, and also in need of some more reassuring kisses from his lover to ascertain that last night had not been a dream and that they truly were setting things right again. With that on his mind, Zechs got out of bed and proceeded to ready himself for breakfast.


End file.
